Here at home, the issue of gun violence isn't going away, and with young Hoosiers getting increasingly caught in the middle, one group is pushing to keep kids on the right path. Tonight, Lauren Kostick shares how those efforts are already starting to pay off.

 

At New Boy Mentoring, it's not about how fast you run or how far, but rather how you act when you fall down or lose. Today is about connection. Our philosophy, one of our philosophies within the New Boy Mentoring program, is connection before correction, and we use sports to connect with these young men. Every week, Kareem Hines and several mentors come to Lawrence Park, along with 20 young men. Together, they challenge each other while learning conflict resolution without pulling the trigger.

 

With the state of our city right now, we just want to be able to connect with as many young men as possible, condition how many guys know him. And that connection first starts with a conversation. We got four articles; I only printed out a portion of each of them, but these all happened within the last two or three days, and it's sad. It's real sad, which makes your presence here even more important. Wednesday's discussion was all about the recent violence happening in the city, including two children shot at an east side Fourth of July party. Imagine being at a cookout, your nieces or your little nephews in a bounce house—a difficult but necessary topic that gives many a moment to grieve while also learning powerful lessons.

 

They've been teaching me how to be a leader and not a follower and stay out of the streets. My mentors are father figures that we don't have, that my brothers don't have. That's a New Boy, and that just helps us and helps us carry ourselves and get us through situations. As gun violence continues to spread across the city, these mentors are determined to stop it. So the hope is to keep these kids and keep these families alive. That's the hope through the rest of the summer, and next week, the same group of young men will return, knowing it takes a village to create change.

 

We're hoping for the next day. The next day is the hope. If you're interested in getting your kids signed up, the group meets every Wednesday at Lawrence Park from one to four. They invite anyone to come, and you can register on the spot.